Fiestas Patrias festival and parade celebrate Latin cultures

"Starting as a small local gathering to celebrate Mexico's independence 24 years ago, the event has grown to a festive party celebrating Latin America and Hispanic independence and culture throughout the Americas," says Felipe Maqueda, president of the Seattle Fiestas Patrias committee.

The weekend kicks off with a parade at the local event's original location, Seattle's South Park neighborhood, at 11 a.m. Saturday with Mexican cowboys on horseback, mariachi and marching bands, dignitaries, lowriders and classic cars, pirates, clowns and school groups.

Festival events then move to Seattle Center, and include a health fair, youth boxing tournament, job fair, art and Mexican costume exhibit, lowrider car show and food vendors. Entertainment reflecting the diversity of traditional and modern Hispanic culture includes mariachi, rock and folkloric music and dance in the styles of Mexico, Chile and Argentina. Performances all day Saturday and Sunday include Latin, soul, jazz, reggae and calypso with Sabrina Y Los Reyes, popular local salsa band Cambalache, headliners Arkangel R-15, one of Mexico's top-selling ensembles, plus Payasos Mauchi bilingual clowns. Saturday night's dance party with a DJ and live music is free and open to all.

Bellevue is also hosting a Mexican Independence Day celebration, noon-4 p.m. Sunday at Crossroads Bellevue shopping center (www.crossroadsbellevue.com).

The details

Festival time: Noon-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

Cost: Free.

Location: Center House and Fisher Pavilion; lowrider auto exhibit by the International Fountain; Seattle Center, Seattle.

Getting there: Seattle Center Monorail operates between Westlake Center and Seattle Center every 10 minutes, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. daily, $1.50-$4 round-trip, 206-905-2620 or www.seattlemonorail.com. Seattle Center traffic hotline for traffic and parking info: 206-233-3989. Metro Transit service information: 206-553-3000 or tripplanner.metrokc.gov.

Parking: Seattle Center operates four parking lots; car-pool discount rate available in Fifth Avenue parking lot for vehicles with three or more occupants; also, private pay lots, prices vary; street parking in the area metered Saturday, free Sunday.

Parade: 11 a.m. Saturday from 1040 S. Henderson St., on South Henderson Street to 14th Avenue South, to South Cloverdale Street, ending at South Park Community Center, Eighth Avenue South and South Cloverdale Street.

More information: 206-684-7200 or www.seattlecenter.comor www.seattlefiestaspatrias.com.